Jun 23, 2015

Holy Father, Pope Francis, has issued his new Encyclical "Laudato Si" on 18 June. The new encyclical is on the theme of Ecology and Climate change. Especially the issue of climate change has been quite controversial and even before the publication of the Encyclical, we could hear number of voices critical against Holy Father to take popular stance which is pointing out human activities as the cause of global warming and climate change mostly because the counter measures may cause stagnation in economy and changing comfortable lifestyle of many countries, especially developed countries. However, Holy Father was clear enough to write as follows.

"Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it. It is true that there are other factors (such as volcanic activity, variations in the earth’s orbit and axis, the solar cycle), yet a number of scientific studies indicate that most global warming in recent decades is due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides and others) released mainly as a result of human activity. Concentrated in the atmosphere, these gases do not allow the warmth of the sun’s rays reflected by the earth to be dispersed in space. The problem is aggravated by a model of development based on the intensive use of fossil fuels, which is at the heart of the worldwide energy system. Another determining factor has been an increase in changed uses of the soil, principally deforestation for agricultural purposes." (23)

We are called seriously examine our life style. We are called to seriously examine our relationship with each other and nature. We are called seriously examine our relationship with our creator, God. And we are called seriously examine our responsibilities for future generation.

Following is my comment on the Encyclical published by the Asianews a few days ago.

As for Caritas Internationalis, which recently completed its 20th General Assembly in Rome with the theme "One Human Family, Caring for Creation", environmental concern and climate change are one of main issues included within its action plan for next 4 years. Also Caritas Asia, for which I have been elected as a president for second term, has been seriously working for environmental concern through our sustainable agriculture program with number of member organizations in Asia taking into account climate change issue which have been causing serious problems over many farmers' living and working conditions in Asia. We do not have to travel a long distance in Asia to see the reality of environmental degradation caused by climate change through repeated major scale natural disasters in recent days.

Therefore, I am happy to receive this encyclical of Pope Francis which gives us solid foundation for our activities in this field and convincing teachings for Catholics to commit oneself to do something for ecology. As Pope Francis repeatedly remind us that the charitable activities are not an option in our faith but rather a part and parcel of it, in a similar way Pope reminds us in this encyclical that all the faithful have obligation to do something for mother nature. It is made clear to all of us through the encyclical that taking good care of entire creation is part and parcel of our vocation. Also Holy Father reminds us to consider the consequence of our life style to future generation. So it is not enough to provide temporal remedy to the present crisis to rescue people affected by climate change and environmental degradation but also we have to always consider long term solution for future generations which may require us to change present comfoatble life style.

I am also happy because the encyclical has been written from the view point of so-called developing countries. Modern society has been controlled by less than 20% of population in so-called developed countries and policies to guide the international society often reflect the interest of this few group of people who has financial resources. However, as Holy Father knows the reality of people's life in Latin America, he stands with poor and marginalized and writes this encyclical from there. That is why there are several points in the encyclical which are hard for people living in comfortable conditions in developed countries to accept such as changing present life style and recognize that developed countries are owing much to developing countries as the former has exploited natural resources of the latter for years. So through the encyclical it is clear now to say that it is not because of generosity of rich countries to assist development of poorer countries but it is because rich countries are obliged to do so.

Catholic Bishops of Japan has just completed its annual general assembly in Tokyo. On the last day of the assembly, 18 June, Bishops organized a study session on the issue of nuclear power generation with number of experts and theologians as lecturers. Though direct mention against nuclear power generation is not found in the encyclical, at least its careful and wise use and also consideration to the local environment with involvement of local people for planning are found in several sections.

As it is well known, after the 11 March 2011 disaster in Fukushima, Japanese Catholic Bishops are advocating immediate abolition of more than 50 nuclear power generating plants in Japan which are prone to earthquakes. Of course we do receive quite a criticism over our position from general public and even from some Catholics saying that to maintain present life style and economy of Japan, the nuclear power generations can not be abolished. That is exact the point in our message in November 2011 against nuclear power generation. We are not just calling for abolishment of the plants but also, at the end of the message, we are calling people to change our life style to reduce use of energy. Holy Father also mentions necessity to change life style of modern society which requires excessive use of energy and call for put more resources to develop renewable energy sources. I think Japanese Catholic Bishops have to be advocate of development of renewable energy sources in Japan and also call the government, business circle and general public to be responsible for future generation and also act responsible for the common good not only consider future of Japan alone but consider entire creation.

Jun 20, 2015

There were two pastoral visits with confirmation in Akita district recently. One in Noshiro Catholic Church on 7 June and the other in Tsuchizaki Catholic Church on 14 June.

Both churches are quite far away from Niigata. It took me more than 5 hours to reach Noshiro by my car and also another 5 hours to reach Tsuchizaki. Noshiro is more than 300 km north from Niigata and could be considered as the northern end of my diocese.

A few years ago when I visited Noshiro, then parish priest was happy to welcome me saying that there were many people in the Church for Sunday Mass because of my visit. Then as people were singing entrance hymn, I found only 10 people there. Surprised I asked the parish priest why he had said "many". Then he told me that he usually had only 4 or 5 people for Sunday Mass. That is the reality of missionaries life in northern part of my diocese.

Today, the parish priest of Noshiro is Fr. Felix Lobo, SVD from India. As we started Mass on 7 June, the feast of Corpus Christi, there were more than 18 people including small kid whose crying voice was sounded like a hope for blight future of the Church community. And we had the sacrament of confirmation during the Mass. A mother of that kid received the sacrament. After the Mass, everyone sat down at the table to enjoy lunch box together. Though the number of the community is very few, singing during the Mass was quite strong and full of joy.

Then on 14 June, I again visited Akita to go to Tsuchizaki. Tsuchizaki is the second parish in the City of Akita. Akita parish is the biggest community with more than 700 in my diocese. Tsuchizaki might have more than 100 members and we had 6 people received the sacrament of confirmation during the Mass.

Parish priest is Fr.Kotaro Iino, SVD. We went to the SVD minor seminary in Nagoya together more than 40 years ago.

Singing by the choir with special costume of Samurai after the Mass during the lunch at parish hall was quite unique but good.

Meantime on 13 June, Bishop Goro Matsuura, an auxiliary of Osaka has been installed as a Bishop of Nagoya. Kindly pray for Bishop Matsuura and also for retired Bishop of Nagoya, Bishop Junichi Nomura. (I could not join the installation Mass at Nunoike Catholic Church, the cathedral of Nagoya on 13 June as I had to give a talk to PTA of an catholic elementary school in Kyoto)

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan has issued a message for peace during its general assembly in February. The message was meant for 70th anniversary of the end of WW II in Pacific which we are to commemorate on 15 August this year. The government of Mr. Abe is also expected to issue their message of peace.

The message of Japanese Bishops are, in fact, cry to the general public in Japan not to abandon our highly respected ideal for Peace which is prescribed in the post WWII constitution.

It is a reality that Japan could maintain its peaceful existence without any involvement in actual fighting for 70 years because of existence of Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. And it is well known that establishing the own Japanese made constitution has been the top priority in the political agenda of the Liberal Democratic Party which has been in power for many years, except for only a few years period, after the war. They
refer present constitution as something imposed by the occupation force.

For quite sometime, considerable percentage of Japanese public began to feel that the Japan is not really matured country as the constitution prohibits exercise of military power so that in order to become "normal country" Japan has to change its constitution to allow exercise of military force with other countries in solving international conflicts, though it should be contained in the notion of "self defense" and not the aggressive military maneuver.

Now I believe that those who want to commit Japan into actual war would be very minimum among general public. I believe Mr. Abe might be thinking himself as realistic politician who just want to make Japan as "normal country" with "normal" military power and I do not think he wants to draw Japan into actual war as such.

However, unfortunately, he may lack imagination for future of the country, I think. He will not be in power for ages to come. One day, probably in 2 to 3 years time, he will step down and someone else would be in power. There is no guarantee that LDP will continue to be in power forever. Then the system has to have clear cut identity which does not allow any biased interpretation. Vague terminology which allows any interpretation should not be used.

For example, Mr. Abe's security policy is the "Proactive Contribution to Peace". He guarantees that this does not mean military advancement at all. May be true. But who knows in future? As we all know, present constitution has been interpreted in several times which favors government's policy at the time to allow the self defense force to
grow stronger, Now they can be deployed out side Japan, but only for peace keeping operation under UN. But because of clear cut ideal of no use of military force to solve international conflicts in the article 9 of the constitution, Japan was able not to be involved in the actual fighting. So article 9 was considered something as protecting wall of peace by us and, probably, stumbling block by realists.

We just want Japanese public to remind ourselves that Japan should be an evangelist of peace in this world. We should not abandon this ideal.

At the same time, we also want to disseminate Church definition of Peace. We are not only talking about peace as "No War" as such but we are talking about "Peace in this world, which is required for the respect and development of human life, is not simply the absence of war or a balance of power between adversaries. It is “the tranquility of order” (Saint Augustine), “the work of justice” (Isaiah 32:17) and the effect of charity. Earthly peace is the image and fruit of the peace of Christ" (Catechism compendium 481). Our peace message is quite in political language but what we are talking about is a bit different from what general public and politicians are talking about. We use same term "peace" but, I believe, definition of that term is quite different and that is not understood by general public yet. That is why we receive quite strong criticism from "realistic" mind political people.

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About Me

Catholic Archbishop of Tokyo, Japan since December, 2017. Former bishop of Niigata from 04 to 17.
A member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD).
My Japanese blog at the following; http://bishopkikuchi.cocolog-nifty.com/diary/
President of Caritas Asia, Caritas Japan.
Member of the Propaganda Fide (CEP) of the Holy See since 2014.